5 Secrets About France's Champagne Region You Need to Know Before You Go
- Marla
- 3 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Ah Champagne! Long equated with luxury and royalty, it’s no wonder that the region vigorously defends its name and reputation. A sparkling wine can only be called Champagne if it’s produced there and according to strict rules. Sparkling wine producers in other regions can’t even say that they use the “Champagne method” to create their products; they have to say “traditional method.” And it’s only about 35 minutes east of Paris by high-speed train. If you like bubbly, this region should be on your “must-visit” list.
But don’t rely on guidebooks or on what you think you know about Champagne; you’ll end up with a lesser experience. We learned a few lessons when we visited. Here are five secrets about France’s Champagne region you need to know before you go.
1. You’ll Miss Out if it’s Only a Day Trip
Several of the well-known guidebooks state that all you need is a day trip to Champagne country, and we met several people who did exactly that. But you’re doing yourself a disservice.
Most people equate the region with the big Champagne names, such as Dom Perignon, Taittinger, and Mumm. The major Champagne houses are an integral part of Champagne. Most of them are located in the towns of Reims (“rahnce”), the capital of the region, or nearby Epernay, and are worth a visit for a tour and/or tasting.
But in actuality, there are about 4,300 Champagne producers in the region, many of them small family-run operations. To visit most of them, you need to venture into the countryside. There you get to meet the growers, see the vineyards, and view the production rooms, as well as taste.
The experiences are very different and complement each other, giving you a much better understanding of the region and the wine. We spent three nights in Reims, which enabled us to get a fuller flavor of the area as well as to enjoy Reims itself, including its famous Gothic cathedral, pedestrian-friendly streets, bustling market, and carousel, so common in France.
Reims also has great restaurants, such as L'Alambic, located in a former Champagne cellar, the elegant Brasserie Excelsior, with its marble columns, and Café du Palais, an institution known for its art deco ceiling.
2. Overall, Smaller Producers Beat the Giants When it Comes to Quality and Value
The big houses have carefully cultivated their luxury brands. Some of their Champagne bottles cost thousands of dollars.
But another secret about the region is that the big houses don’t own enough vineyards to produce all of their Champagne. They have to buy grapes from those small family-owned wineries.
And guess what? The smaller producers keep the best, most prestigious juice (from the first pressing of the grapes, called cuvée) for their own production and sell the lesser quality second pressing juice, called taille, to the big boys (the third press, called rebeche or “rubbish” is used to make fortified wines and digestives).
So while the powerhouses do create and sell high-end Champagne worth those hefty price tags, most of what they sell is more middle-of-the-road.
Moreover, the smaller producers, in control of the Champagne-making process from soup to nuts, and with no need for big marketing budgets, can afford to sell their cuvée quality bubbly at more reasonable prices. The small producers we visited charged about 15-45 euros for a bottle.
3. Make Time for Both Reims and Epernay
A lot of visitors to the Champagne region only visit the Champagne houses in Reims, such as Veuve Clicquot, Heidsieck, and Pommery.
But if you can, also fit in a trip to smaller Epernay, which boasts some of the other Champagne houses, such as Perrier-Jouet and Moet & Chandon, along the stately “Avenue of Champagne,” a UNESCO World Heritage site. Only about 30 minutes south of Reims, Epernay is easily accessible by train or rideshare. Several tours also include Epernay.
One of the highlights of our trip to Champagne country was a wine tasting at boutique producer Pierre Mignon in Epernay, recommended by our wonderful guide Radames on our terrific tour with France Intense.
The Pierre Mignon family has been making Champagne for five generations in the village of Le Breuil, and operates a tiny, 12-seat tasting room in town. We thoroughly enjoyed five different kinds of Champagne as well as Ratafia, the family’s digestive wine made from the third, “rubbish” pressing. They were all fabulous.
The tasting room also offers food, including smoked salmon platters and charcuterie boards, which make a perfect lunch. To top it off, it turns out our sommelier was not only an expert and old school but also an opera singer; with just a little prodding, we were treated to an aria! And all for only about 60 euros a person.
4. The Big House Tours Are Not All Alike
While it’s tempting to lump all of the big Champagne houses together and choose a tour and tasting based on name or convenience, do take a look at the different offerings to see what appeals to you the most. While they all want to exude opulence, their experiences and styles differ significantly, as does the value of the tour. Some explain production more than others; some have different areas of focus; some offer more tastings than others.
For example, Veuve Clicquot’s tour in Reims, not surprisingly, focused on the company’s backstory of Widow (“Veuve”) Clicquot and her accomplishments, such as inventing Rosé Champagne, and is more of a sensory experience with lights and videos.
The tour by Moet & Chandon, the largest Champagne house in the region, referenced the founder’s ties to Napoleon and other historical figures and included a tour of its latest art exhibition.
5. Take in the Region’s History
Yes, the big draw in this region is the Champagne. But another secret you need to know about France’s Champagne region before you go is that it has a past worth exploring.
For instance, Reims is renowned for its extensive Champagne caves underneath the city, where much of the Champagne has been produced and stored for centuries. The guidebooks say they were first built by the Romans, but those caves were really built by slaves, beginning in Roman times. The luxury Champagne houses aren’t about to tell you that sordid detail, however.
The region also has a significant non-Champagne related history. For example, Reims’s Gothic cathedral is famous for its many coronations, its ties to Joan of Arc, and its beauty, including its stained glass windows. It was shelled extensively during World War I and still bears the scars. Eparney’s cathedral was bombarded during both World Wars. The road between the two places is the one the Allies took to notify the locals that the Nazis had been defeated.
We hope these five secrets about France’s Champagne Region you need to know before you go help you plan your trip there. À votre santé!” (“to your health!” in French.)
Do you have any tips to add? Please let us know! We’re at info@winewithourfamily.com.
If you enjoyed this post, visit our website and take a look at some of our related articles: